Chlorine Tablet Shortage Due to Covid-19 & BioLab Fire

If you’ve had trouble getting your hands on Chlorine tablets lately, you’re not alone. There is an industry wide shortage partially due to a large fire at the BioLab facility as well as to the ongoing impact Covid-19 has had on production. Contributing to the scarcity have been industry wide shut downs as many states adapt to closures and shutting back down due to a surge in cases of Covid-19 the past few months.

Chlorine Tablet Shortage Looms As BioLab Fire Cuts Off Production

With a limited number of available summer options for travel due to Covid-19, the pool industry saw a surge in demand this year. More homeowners opted to build a pool, and existing pool owners saw increased usage of their inground swimming pools throughout the summer. The increase in demand has led to a shortage of chlorine tablets. The recent fire that manufacturer BioLab had has currently put them out of production. The industry is sure to feel the pinch as prices and demand continue to skyrocket.

“Trichlor is a really popular brand of sanitizer. It’s primarily used in residential swimming pools.” said Dago Cabral, owner of Custom Pools in Miami FL. Pool Service companies are certain to feel the price increase first. Paul Putscher of Pool Keepers in Lindale, TX said “The loss of BioLab can only mean another increase in prices. We’re sure to see an increase from the other manufacturers. We were already facing a shortage. This just makes matters even worse”.

“For service companies that rely on trichlor tabs and dichlor it presents a real problem” said Nilson Silva of Master Touch Pools in Boca, FL. “Shortage of any chemical can be disastrous for service companies. This is not simply a matter of inconvenience. We’ve had to deal with so many price increases and shortages this year, this is just compounding the problem”.

Panic Driven Market Has Led To A Surge In Pricing

Scarcity certainly does drive demand as well as increased prices. We’ve seen this across the board in the pool industry this year. Prices for everything have gone up in correlation with closures due to the pandemic. Manufacturers have struggled to keep up with the demand as pool companies continue to get little relief from the effects of Covid-19 related shortages.

Many pool service companies have opted to switch to liquid chlorine during the shortage. With many local suppliers being sold out of chlorine tablets, there was little alternative for some. “Thankfully in the winter we don’t need as many chlorine tablets as we do during the summer months” – Jeffery Johnston – Quality Clear Pools. “Homeowners routinely ask me for alternatives to santizing their pool with chlorine. I recommend Pool RX. It greatly reduces the amount of chlorine you need in your pool.”

The shortage of chlorine tablets has led to an increase in alternative products for sanitizing the pool. “We’ve seen an increase in the number of Ozone systems we’re installing now” said Jason De Bosky of Crystal Blue Aquatics. “They aren’t an alternative for chlorine. These products promote way less chlorine usage. I think we’ve done 11 of them this season alone.”

Certainly as scarcity continues to prices will increase. Pool companies are resorting to other methods of chlorinating the pool. “There is no need to panic. Pool companies have this well in hand. There is more than 1 way to get the job done” De Bosky continued “There are enzymes and algaecides that help sanitize the pool. Proper water chemistry can be achieved using a variety of other products”.